Physiotherapy Helps Stroke Recovery

Every year, more than 50,000 Canadians have a stroke. Here's how physiotherapy can help them take back control

By Ontario Physiotherapy Association

‘Now every day is a brand new day. There’s always something new to overcome. Paola is working hard, pushing forward, step by step, moving again and painting.’

Every year, more than 50,000 Canadians have a stroke. This means that almost all of us know someone like Paola, someone working hard to get back to their day-to-day activities and back to the things they love to do. It can be difficult to imagine not being able to sit without someone holding you or not being able to take a few steps from your bed to a chair. For someone who has had a stroke, it can sometimes be even harder to imagine doing these simple things again. This is how physiotherapy can help.

After a stroke, physiotherapy starts as soon as possible. In the hospital, physiotherapists are an important part of stroke teams that include physicians, nurses, other rehabilitation professionals such as occupational therapists and speech language pathologists as well as family and friends. The focus of early treatments by the physiotherapist is to help regain mobility; to sit, stand, walk, reach, hold and balance. These important activities are the building blocks for being able to do everyday things and for living as independently as possible.

After the hospital, physiotherapists working in clinics or in home care help people continue to improve and to reach goals that matter to them whether it’s being able to stand and cook dinner, to climb the front steps of your house or to get back out on the golf course. Though physiotherapy is most effective when started immediately after a stroke, months and even years later, physiotherapy can help improve movement and strength and manage pain.

A stroke can bring enormous change and many new challenges. Physiotherapy helps people to meet these challenges, to push forward step by step towards the things that matter most to them, and to living as active and independently as possible.

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